Folding ski



-J. M. MELAND FOLDING May l8, 1954 Filed. April 2, 1952 2 Sheets-Sheet-l Armkms'ys INVENTOR.

' .7611 M MEL/1ND BY unzw @M IIIH v y/ N NE 18, 1954 J.j M. MELAND 2,678,829

FOLDJING SKI Filed April 2, 1952 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 se 5a 39 F155 EA 4- INVENTOR. JE/M/ M Mum/p 4770 RIYE vs BMM@AM Patented May 18, 1954 STATES Psi-I ENT o-FF-Ien 678,829 FGEDINGSKi Job-11M: Meland, Minneapolis, Minn. Aiiplieatiii Kp'ril 2, 1952; Sefia'lNo. 281x071 3 Glaims: (Cl. 280 1143).

The object" of the inventionis w provide a fhldi'rig 'sli of stiorig, duiable; simple, inexpensive, iii abtieal; new and improved construction;

In the accompanying dfawing's'forining a p'ait oi 'tliis' snecifi'cation; v i v Fig. I is" a" top plan view of a folding" ski incurziofa'tiiig features and cha raete'risties' of the iifveiiti U Fig-i; 1s an enlarged sideelevational View" of the ski as when-in joldedcoiiditioni Fig, 3 is a further enlarged, fragmentary top plan yiew cliseldsin'g" an intermediate portion of tiiskibifFig; 1; I

4flis'a side elevational vie'vv'of the disclosure ra a Pi s s'a detail sectional view, taken on line we in Big". 4

Fig. G is' 'an" enlarged topplan View of'a hinge bftheslgi'; v

V F g. [is ad'etail sectional View, taken on line 'l'-=-" :1 in'Fig.6'; V o H 31 8 is a sideelevational View off the" hinge iiislds ifig the members thereof as" fOldd sm t s other;

Fig. ll is a detail s'eetio'nalview, taken on line Illl inFig. 6. I

speaking generally, the new and imprbvedi ski eoiisis'ts' oi aior'wa'rd el'ofig'at'ed skime'iiiber [5, a feai'waifd elongated ski member" IS; a channel fiiefiibe'f' H, a hinge I8, and appurtenant parts:

The hinge l8 consistsof first and second hinge ffie'ifibef's; denoted I9 and. 20', respectively; p'i'v'otally connected for swinging" movement between aposition whei'ethehinge members arein aline iiienfi; as Figs. 1, 3; 4, 5, e; 7 and 1 1' of the drawings; amia p ssitio'nwne're said hinge mam b'e'i s aresubstantially para11e1, as n- Figs. 2 and 8% As disbl'osed, tile hinge members I9, 20 ai e Iii-totally connectedthrough the in's'truin'entality of parallel, tfans'vefse' pins 2 situated in trans vr'selji spaced links 22, as Well as in said Hinge members- Whenthe hinge members are ailin'd, a transverse piece 23 ubonthe hinge member I 9 is" i'n roximate relationto a tia'nsvers'e piece 24 neon: the hinge member 2'0, and a mass is upe'r' tl'i'e transverse piec'e- 2 4 iss'ituat'ed in eiongsied 9- is adetail sectional view, taken on slot 2[-in the transversepiee' 23 as-inFig 11'', to 1 lifiireethe-hingeagainst possibility o'f '1e1a tive= movement of" its members transversely of tlie ski.

Thefifsthinge member includes a longi tiidiiialljr' extending plate 21} at therearward sidof and rigid with the transverse pieeefi, pawn; parallel, longitudinally extending strips 2's} i igid witli and extending-upwardly erpem dieularly from intermediatefporti'onsof saidflom gitudinaily extending plate 27-, and longitudinally extending flanges 29 projecting outwardly fiom said longitudinally extending stripsin spaced; parallel relation to the longitudinally extending plate 21 and providing, together with outer edge portionsof said longitudinally extending-plate, outwardly opening or facingchannel pieces of the" first hinge member E9. The rearward" ends of the channelpieces; at the end of the' first hinge member IQ' opposite the transversepieee 23, are" open; the'front end'portion of therear ward elongated ski member It is assembled with said" first hinge'member in such manner that-a c'ential' longitudinal part 30 of said front end ortion is snugly situated between the'longitudi nany ext-ending" strips 28, 28; exterionlongitndi parts 31, 31 aresnug'ly situatedin the channel pieces; and said longitudinally extending: trips 28; zt' ar'e disposed in longitudinal slits 32, 32 in this rearwar elongated ski member, with the forward end of said rearward ski member exigaged against the transverse piece 23'. Tl'leconst'ruetion anuarran ement will be such that lewer" surfaces of the longitudinally extending plate 21 and rearward elongatecl'ski membenwill lie in a single plane, and also such that upper siiffaees or the. rearward elongated ski member and tiiechannel pieeeswill" lie in a single plane arallel to tiiat o'f said lower surfaces. Thereaf- Ward elongated ski Tnemb'e'r It can be secure'diin and to thehiri'ge member [9 in any suitable and convenient manner, and each of'the opposite side edges of said rearwand elongated sk'i member (i'sifibfii te rninates inaplane also. including the outei side edges ofthe flanges of thechan'nel piss s of the first inge member :9.

The' second hinge member 1 41 includes alongitildinally extending plate 33'; at the forward side of and xigid with the transverse pieee. sfiace'd', parallel, longitudinally disposed ea'rs 3 1", rigid with and: extendin upwardl er endiculanffrbm intermediate portions of said Ibngi tudinally extending plate 33 forwardly of and in spaced relation to said transverse piece fl;

E6 and spaced, parallel; lbn'gitudii'lally disposed ears 35, rigid with and extending upwardly perpendicularly from intermediate portions of the longitudinally extending plate 33 forwardly of and in adjacent relation to the transverse piece 2 The rear end portion of the forward elongated skin member I5 is assembled with the second hinge member so that the longitudinally disposed ears 34 extend upwardly through longitudinal slots 35 in said rear end portion to cause apertures 31 through said ears 34 to be disposed above said forward elongated ski member, and the longitudinally disposed ears 35 extend upwardly through longitudinal slots 38 in the rear end of the forward ski member, with the rearward end of said forward ski member engaged against the transverse piece 24. The construction and arrangement will be such that lower surfaces of the longitudinal plate 33 and forward elongated ski member will lie in a single plane, and also such that the upper surface of the forward elongated ski member will lie in the plane of the upper edge of the transverse piece 24. When the forward and rearward ski members are in alinement, their lower surfaces, as well as their upper surfaces, will lie substantially in a single horizontal plane. The forward elongated ski member l5 can be secured to the second hinge member 20 in any suitable and convenient manner, and each of the opposite side edges of said forward elongated ski member desirably terminates in a plane also including the outer side edge of the longitudinally extending plate 33 of the second hinge member 20 at the same side of the ski, as well as the outer side edges of the first hinge member I9 and the rearward elongated ski member IS.

The channel member I! is of rigid material, preferably metal. It includes a flat body having parallel flanges 39, 39 integral with the opposite side edges of and perpendicular to said flat body. A rearward end portion of the fiat body on said channel member rests upon the upper surface of the forward end portion of the rearward elongated ski member [6 and is secured thereto, as at 40, and rearward end portions of the flanges 39, 39 are secured down against the outer side surfaces of the exterior longitudinal parts 3|, 3! by an elongated rivet 4| which passes through said exterior longitudivnal parts, as well as through the central longiv 'tudinal part 30 and the longitudinally extending strips 28, 28 of the first hinge member i9. The rearward end 42 of the channelmember i'l terminates at the rear of the rearward end of the first hinge member IS.

A front end portion of the flat body and front end portions of the flanges 39, 39 of the channel member ll extend forwardly of the front end of the rearward elongated ski member [6- in parallel relation thereto to be capable of snugly receiving the second hinge member 20 and the rearward end portion of the forward elongated ski member l5 assembled with and adjacent to said second hinge member. The construction and arrangement will be such that when the second hinge member 28 is engaged against the interior surface of the forward end portion of the body of the channel member [1, the first and second hinge members 13 and 20 will be in alinement, the forward and rearward elongated ski members l5 and 15 also will be in alinment, and the lower surfaces of all of the hinge members and ski members will lie substantially in a single plane, with the lower edges of the flanges 39, 33 Slightly above this same plane. Also, when the first and second hinge members 19, 20 and the forward and rearward elongated ski members l5. l5 are alined, the longitudinally disposed, transversely spaced ears 34, 34 upon the second hinge member 20 and in and extending above the forward ski member I5 will be situated in spaced, longitudinally extending slots 43, 43 through the forward portion of the body of the channel member IT, with the apertures 31, 31 disposed above and in contiguous relation to the upper surface of said channel member, as in Fig. 4. The forward end 44 of the channel member I! terminates at the front of the forward end of the second hinge member 20 when the first and second hinge members and the forward rearward ski members are in alinement.

The forward portions of the flanges 39, 33 of the channel member I! in advance of the first hinge member [9 and the rearward ski member 16 cooperate with the rearward portion of said channel member and the hinge I8 to preclude relative transverse movement of the hinge members and ski members when these are alined, and the forward portion of the body of the channel member precludes swinging movement of the second hinge member 20 and the forward ski member i5 to position where out of alinement with and above the first hinge member 19 and the rearward ski member [6.

Latching mechanism for detachably retainin the ski members l5, l6 and the hinge members i9, 20 in alinement, with the upper surface of the rearward end portion of the forward ski member I5 up against the interior surface of the forward portion of the channe1 member I1, is constituted as a pair of locker levers, each indicated 45, rotatably mounted, as at 46, upon and in proximate relation to the upper, exterior surface of the forward portion of the body of said channel member for swinging movement toward and away from each other. Curvilinear elements 4! of the locker levers 45 are for engagement in the apertures 31 when arms 48 of said levers are swung toward each other, and to be removed from said apertures when said arms are swung apart. A clip member 49 rotatably supported, as at 50, upon one of the arms 48 is adapted to be engaged back of a protuberance 5| upon th other arm when it is desired to fasten the arms to each other thus to retain the curvilinear elements 41 in the apertures 31, and removed from behind said protuberance when it is desired to release the arms so they can be swung apart to remove said curvilinear elements from said apertures.

A longitudinal guide groove 52 in the bottom of the ski, disposed at the midwidth of the first and second hinge members and the forward and rearward ski members, extends throughout a greater portion of the length of said ski.

Each of adjustable foot supporting elements of the ski, one at either side of the rearward portion of the channel member ll, includes a substantially horizontal piece 53 situated in a slot 54, in an upper portion of the flange 39 at the same side of the rearward elongated ski member i5, and between the interior surface of the rearward portion of the body of said channel member and the upper surface of the longitudinally extending flange 29 at the corresponding side of the ski. And each adjustable foot supporting element also includes an upwardly extending curvilinear portion 55, disposed exteriorly of the channel member, to which the toe of a shoe on a skier is to be fitted. The substantially horizontal pieces 53 are assembled with the channel member 5 l and the first hinge member 59 to be adjustable inwardly and outwardly. Screw bolts 55 in the body of said channel menu ber, passing through elongated apertures ill in said horizontal pieces 53 and entering internally threaded. nuts 55 in the channel pieces of said first hinge member, at the upper sides of the eX- terior parts 3i, 3i of the rearward ski member, are adapted to be turned home to cause the horizontal pieces 53 to be grasped between the body of the channel member and the longitudinally extending flanges 29, 29 of the first hinge member. When the screw bolts 56 are turned home, heads 59 of said screw bolts are forced down against the exterior surface of the body of the channel member if, and the nuts 58 are drawn up against the interior surfaces of the longitudinally extending flanges 29. The interior surface of the body of said channel member desirably is roughened, as at 69. A slot Si in the curvilinear portion 55 of each foot supporting element is for receiving a usual strap used by persons who ski, and a knob 62 upon each of said curvilinear portions is for attachment of a strap.

What is claimed is:

1. A folding ski comprising a forward elongated ski member, a rearward elongated ski member, a hinge pivotally connecting said forward and rearward ski members for relative swinging movement consisting of a first hinge member including channel pieces open at their rearward ends snugly receiving a forward end portion of said rearward ski member and a second hinge member including a longitudinally extending plate engaged against a lower surface and secured to a rearward end portion of said forward ski member and having spaced ears rigid with said longitudinal plate situated in slots in said rearward end portion of the forward ski member and extending thereabove, a channel member of rigid material consisting of a flat body and parallel flanges rigid with opposite side edges of said flat body and perpendicular thereto having a rearward end portion of the fiat body resting upon an upper surface and secured to a forward end portion of said rearward ski member and rearward end portions of said parallel flanges secured against outer side surfaces of said forward end portion of said rearward ski member, a forward end portion of said flat body and forward end portions of said parallel flanges of said channel member extending forwardly of the forward end of said rearward ski member in parallel relation thereto snugly, removably receiving said second hinge member and a rearward end portion of said forward ski member when the forward and rearward ski members are alined, said forward end portion of the flat body being slotted to receive the spaced ears rigid with the longitudinally extending plate of said second hinge member when the latter is in proximate relation to a lower interior surface of the forward end portion of the flat body of the channel member, means for releasably locking said spaced ears in the slots in said channel member to maintain the forward and rearward ski members and the first and second hinge members in longitudinal alinement, and a foot supporting element upon said folding ski.

2. The combination as specified in claim 1, and means for adjustably mounting said foot supporting element upon said ski.

3. In a folding ski, a forward elongated ski member, a rearward elongated ski member, a hinge pivotally connecting said forward and rearward ski members for relative swinging movement between positions where alined and parallel consisting of a first hinge member telescoped with and secured to a forward end portion of said rearward ski member and a second hinge member secured to a rearward end portion of the forward ski member and rigidly supporting spaced ears situated in and extending upwardly above said forward ski member, a channel member of rigid material consisting of a flat body and parallel flanges rigid with opposite side edges of and perpendicular to said flat body, a rearward end portion of said flat body resting upon an upper surface and secured to a forward end portion of said rearward ski member and rearward end portions of said parallel flanges being secured against outer side surfaces of said forward end portion of said rearward ski member, and a forward end portion of said flat body and forward end portions of said parallel flanges of said channel member extending forwardly of the forward end of said rearward ski member in parallel relation thereto to snugly, removably receive said second hinge member and a rearward end portion of said forward ski member when the forward and rearward ski members are alined and the second hinge member is in proximate relation to a lower, interior surface of the forward end portion of said channel member, there being spaced" slots in said forward end portion of the channel member for receiving said spaced ears rigid with said second hinge member, and means for releasably locking said spaced ears in said spaced slots to maintain the forward and rearward ski members and the first and second hinge members in alinement.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 526,216 Bremer Sept. 18, 1894 1,456,886 Gober May 29, 1923 1,504,744 Cox Aug. 12, 1924 2,239,459 Rydberg July 14, 1942 2,332,404 Smith Oct. 19, 1943 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 31,364 Austria Jan. 10, 1908 

